


Good Instincts

by Alisanne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-07
Updated: 2007-04-07
Packaged: 2018-02-05 03:23:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1803493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/pseuds/Alisanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes predictions actually do come true.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Instincts

Title: Good Instincts  
Author: [](http://alisanne.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://alisanne.livejournal.com/)**alisanne**  
Rating: G  
Pairing: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy  
Summary: Sometimes predictions actually do come true.  
Word Count: 1202  
Genre: Romance, pre-slash  
Warnings: None  
A/N: Written for [](http://hd-fluff.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://hd-fluff.livejournal.com/)**hd_fluff** 's prompt# 18: Baby Animals. Thanks to the mod for giving me today to get it done. ;)  
Beta: [](http://sevfan.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sevfan.livejournal.com/)**sevfan**  
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

  
~

Good Instincts

~

“You’ve never placed any faith in Divination before, Harry, why start now?”

Harry shrugged. He knew Hermione was right, yet... “She just seemed so serious about it,” he said. “And it wasn’t a dire prediction of my imminent death, which is unusual for her.”

Hermione snorted. “That’s certainly true,” she said.

After the war, Trelawney had set up shop in Diagon Alley. Apparently she had been going about saying that being so intimately involved with the war had been hard work and she needed to do something less stressful.

Hermione had pointed out her shop as they walked by, and, on a whim, they had stopped in, and Harry had ended up allowing her to read his palm.

“Plus,” Hermione said, warming to her topic. “It makes no sense. How will ‘paying attention to the littlest among us’ bring you your ‘heart’s desire’?”

Harry shook his head. “Maybe you’re right. She probably made it all up. We do know she’s mad, after all.”

Hermione chuckled. “That we do,” she said. Checking her watch, she sighed. “I have to go now, Harry. I promised Charlie I would meet him for dinner. You’re welcome to join us...”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not hungry anyway. Go and have fun. And tell your fiancé I said hello.”

She tried to persuade him, but he was adamant, so Hermione finally left, and Harry continued wandering about the expanded Diagon Alley. A lot of new shops had gone up, and Harry was glad to see it.

While it made him pleased that so many people were moving on with their lives after the war, it also made him feel as if he was standing still while everyone else settled down.

Why couldn’t he find someone to be happy with? The thing with Ginny had been a disaster, which, fortunately, they had both recognized early. Since then he’d found himself attracted to both women and men, but as yet he’d not anyone who made his heart sing.

As he wandered aimlessly, deep in thought, he failed to notice as he drifted into a less than upscale neighbourhood. The cry of someone who needed help made his head pop up, though, and, following an impulse, Harry turned the corner to see a group of boys cornering a baby Kneazle.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

One of the boys, who, inexplicably, reminded him of Dudley, turned towards him.

“Nothing.”

Harry looked again at the Kneazle. It had what appeared to be blood on its paws.

“Why is that animal bleeding?”

The Dudley look-alike shrugged. “We were just playing with the stray,” he whined.

“Hand it over,” Harry said, again following his instincts.

Before any of the boys could react, the Kneazle ran towards Harry and he scooped it up.

“Oi, you can’t take it. That’s mine!” the Dudley-esque boy said.

“I thought you said it was a stray?” Harry said.

That shut them up, and they dispersed, ‘Dudley’ shooting a few nasty looks Harry’s way before leaving.

Harry looked down at the Kneazle snuggled in his arms. She appeared no worse for her experience, except for the blood that matted her fur. “I wonder who you belong to?” he whispered.

She looked up at him and blinked before burrowing closer. He smiled. “Let’s get you checked out,” he said.

She seemed to like that idea and she purred her approval as he set out carrying her.

Looking about, he spotted just what he needed.

“‘Baby Animal Shelter’,” he read. “Brilliant. They’ll know what to do.”

Harry walked in and looked around. The place was empty, probably in preparation for closing. “Hello?” he called out, walking behind the counter.

“We’re closed,” a familiar voice said, and Harry spun.

“Malfoy?”

Draco seemed surprised for a moment, then his eyes shuttered. “Potter,” he said, voice devoid of all expression. “What do you want?”

“I wondered where you’d got to,” Harry blurted out.

Raising an eyebrow, Draco stepped forward. “Really? And why’s that?”

“I wanted to thank you for all you did for us in the war.” Harry was having difficulty reconciling the man in front of him with the spoiled prat he remembered. _War certainly changes people_ , he thought, looking Draco up and down.

Draco shrugged. “It made sense at the time,” he said. “Your side was winning, after all.”

Harry smiled. He had been privy to the results of Draco’s interrogation and knew very well it had been a true change of heart.

Draco was wearing veterinary Healer’s robes, and he looked tired, as if he’d had a long day. “So, um, I guess you work here?” Harry asked.

Draco nodded. “Yes, Potter, as you can see. Was that why you came in here?”

Harry shook his head. “No. I came across some children who were tormenting this Kneazle in an alley not far from here. I think she’s hurt. Would you look at her? I realize you’re about to close...”

Draco stepped closer, gaze sharpening. “A Kneazle? Where...” He paused when he saw the kitten Harry was carrying, his eyes widening. “Follow me,” he said.

Draco led him to a room with an exam table. He held out his arms and Harry only hesitated slightly before handing the kitten over.

“Looks as if you’re already attached to her,” Draco said, his hands gentle as he examined the Kneazle.

Harry blushed. “Yeah, I think I’ve been adopted. Is she okay?”

Checking her carefully, Draco nodded. “She has some scratches, and it looks as if someone hit her with stones, maybe, but she’ll be fine. So you’re definitely planning on keeping her?”

The Kneazle turned limpid eyes on Harry as if she knew that he was making a decision that affected her. “Yes,” he said. The kitten purred and closed her eyes.

“She’ll be a good pet,” Draco said. “Baby animals have very good instincts. Do you know anything about taking care of Kneazles?”

When Harry said no, Draco gave him a crash course in Kneazle ownership and by the end, Harry felt better prepared. It was by far the best conversation they had ever had, Harry realized.

As they stepped outside, and Harry was surprised to see how dark it was. More time had passed than he thought.

“Well, if that’s all, Ha... Potter?” Draco said.

Harry noticed the almost slip, and, again following a barely understood instinct, said, “You can call me Harry, Draco.”

Draco pursed his lips. “All right then, _Harry_. Do you need anything else?”

“Have you had dinner yet?”

Both men paused. After a moment, Draco smiled the most genuine smile Harry had ever seen on his face. “No, I’ve been here all day,” he admitted. “Why?”

“Well, I could use a dinner companion,” Harry said. “Someone who won’t mind if I have my pet Kneazle with me. Plus, I could use some help coming up with a name for her, and you are an expert.”

Draco stepped closer, and Harry saw the speculative interest in his eyes. “I am happy to lend you my expertise in whatever you may need,” he said.

Harry grinned. “That’s just what I was counting on,” he said. And maybe, just maybe, he thought, he would find his heart’s desire after all.

~


End file.
